How to safeguard academic integrity when working with Australian governments
A recent study revealed that Australian governments regularly suppress embarrassing information by hindering public health research or publication of its findings (Box 1).1 The results resonate with concerns raised in the Report of the independent audit into the state of free speech in Australia.2 Two issues of immediate relevance to Journal readers are the protection of academic independence, and the crucial role of objective evidence in improving outcomes of the Australian health system.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA.
- 1. Yazahmeidi B, Holman CDJ. A survey of suppression of public health information by Australian governments. Aust N Z J Public Health 2007; 31: 551-557.
- 2. Moss I, Chair. Report of the independent audit into the state of free speech in Australia. 31 October 2007. Sydney: Australia’s Right to Know Coalition, 2007. http://www.abc.net.au/news/opinion/documents/files/20071105_righttoknow.pdf (accessed Feb 2008).
- 3. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Sponsorship, authorship and accountability [editorial]. Med J Aust 2001; 175: 294-296. <MJA full text>
- 4. Blumenthal D, Campbell EG, Anderson MS, et al. Withholding research results in academic life science: evidence from a national survey of faculty. JAMA 1997; 277: 1224-1228.
- 5. National Health and Medical Research Council. Revision of the Joint NHMRC/AVCC Statement and Guidelines on Research Practice. Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Canberra: NHMRC, 2007.
- 6. Smith-Merry J, Gillespie J, Leeder SR. A pathway to a stronger research culture in health policy. Aust New Zealand Health Policy [Internet] 2007; 4: 19. http://www.anzhealthpolicy.com/content/4/1/19 (accessed Jan 2008).
- 7. National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. Strategic roadmap. February 2006. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2006. http://www.ncris.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/91C5DFB3-10E5-4A09-A861-6973B2912417/9519/NCRISStrategicRoadmap.pdf (accessed Oct 2007).
- 8. Runciman WB, Merry AF, Tito F. Error, blame, and the law in health care — an antipodean perspective. Ann Intern Med 2003; 138: 974-979.
- 9. Waring JJ. Beyond blame: cultural barriers to medical incident reporting. Soc Sci Med 2004; 60: 1927-1935.
- 10. Peatling S. FoI revamp under Rudd’s wing. Sydney Morning Herald 2008; 9 Jan. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/foi-revamp-under-rudds-wing/2008/01/08/1199554655571.html (accessed Feb 2008).
- 11. Carr K. Independent ARC Advisory Council appointed [media release]. 7 Jan 2008. Canberra: Australian Research Council, 2008. http://www.arc.gov.au/media/releases/media_07Jan08.htm (accessed Feb 2008).